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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29047614">The Lion of the Survey Corps</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/kurokas/pseuds/kurokas'>kurokas</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, Character Death, Depression, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Mutual Pining, Slow Burn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 06:22:30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>16,330</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29047614</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/kurokas/pseuds/kurokas</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The world was cold. Cruel. </p><p>Callie knew that much. </p><p>What she did not know was that it could also be beautiful. Much less, that a former criminal from the Underground would be the one to show her that.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin)/Original Character(s), Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin)/Original Female Character(s), Levi Ackerman &amp; Original Female Character(s), Levi Ackerman/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Little Lion</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>[  Year 831 ] </p>
<p>	“Mama! Can we go into the market today?” a young girl asked her mother with beaming pale blue eyes. Her mother looked away from the kitchen sink to the round-faced girl, fighting back a smile. The girl’s hands were wrung in her mother’s dress, teetering back and forth on her heels.</p>
<p>	“And what exactly for, Callie?” the mother asked, turning from the half-washed dishes and crouching to be eye level with her daughter. The girl flashed a cheeky grin, the edges of her eyes crinkling in joy.</p>
<p>	“I wanna visit Miss Elda! I want to know if she has any new flowers,” Callie blabbered excitedly, her lisp drawling out her hurried words. </p>
<p>	The mother shook her head, exasperated. “Again? Callie, sweetie, do me a favor and take a look around the house.” She gestured with her hand to their surroundings: a tiny kitchen, full of clutter but still somehow tidy. Callie visibly deflated once she saw her mother’s point. Various flowers and plants sat in nearly every corner of the house, hanging from the walls in baskets or sat cozily in a corner. A window just above the kitchen sink bathed the room in bright light.</p>
<p>	“No, look!” Callie ran through the doorway to the small living room, pointing matter-of-factly at a slightly wilted bunch of flowers that sat sadly on the windowsill. Its brown leaves sagged lazily. “That one died. We need to replace it.”<br/>
Raising an eyebrow, her mother ran forward and scooped Callie up into her arms, spinning her around. Callie let out a burst of giggles.</p>
<p>	“Oh, so if I or one of your brothers died, you’d just replace us?” her mother asked, holding Callie close to her face and brushing their noses together. Callie immediately frowned, smacking a fist against her mother’s chest with little strength. </p>
<p>	“Karina,” Callie began, causing the woman to chuckle. She only referred to her mother by her name when she was being serious. “Nothing could replace you or my brothers.” </p>
<p>	“Oh, how sweet! If only your pop could see how cute you’ve become!” Karina cried with a smile, squeezing her daughter tighter to her chest, causing her to whine in protest. “You’re the spitting image of him, with your unruly curls and bright blue eyes.” She slowly set the young girl down, whose eyes were immediately drawn to the window. Two young men walking along the side of their house. With a startled chirp, Callie trotted out to the kitchen, her footsteps pounding on the wooden floor as she came to a halt by the door, nearly bouncing in excitement. </p>
<p>	The door slowly creaked open, revealing two similar-looking men. Unlike Callie, they both had their mother’s light brown hair – one with curly hair tied into a bun, the other with closely cropped, straight locks. Their eyes lit up at the sight of their younger sister, each of them nearly pouncing on her as they lifted her into the air.</p>
<p>	“Well, look who it is!” the curly-haired man chuckled, giving Callie a big kiss on her head. “Our little lion was waiting at the door like a puppy!” Callie giggled, wrapping her arms around her brother’s head and nuzzling into his shirt. </p>
<p>	“What brings you two back so soon?” Karina asked warily, leaning against the doorway to the living room as she stared down her two sons. “I thought you wouldn’t get leave for some time.” She rested her hands on her hips, smiling as she watched her children interact with each other. Oh, how she missed their father.</p>
<p>	“Mama, can we bring Malcom and Elias with us to the market?” Callie interjected before either of her brothers could answer Karina. </p>
<p>	“Maybe, sweetie,” Karina murmured dismissively before returning her gaze to her sons. Malcom, the curly-headed son, slowly lowered Callie back onto the ground, patting her head tenderly before straightening and pulling Karina into a hug. It was now time for Elias to kiss Callie on the head gently, a smile spreading across his stern features.</p>
<p>	“The bossman gave us some time to visit good ol’ Shiganshina to see you,” Malcom said, waltzing over to the kitchen and beginning work on the dirty dishes Karina had not finished. </p>
<p>	“You know how good of a silver tongue Malcom has,” Elias gently teased as he gave Karina a hug, giving her a light kiss on the cheek. “We don’t enjoy leaving you guys here for so long without any help around the house.” Karina sighed, running a hand through her long brown hair. </p>
<p>	“Well, there’s not much house to help out with,” Karina grunted as she sat at the small, round dining table. Elias hurried to the stove, fishing a lighter out of a cabinet and setting the wood below it ablaze. Callie knew he was making tea. Her mother carried on with a strained voice. “You two already work to support us as it is.” </p>
<p>	The young girl waddled over to cling to Malcom’s leg, staring up at him with wide eyes. It had been what felt like years since she had last seen him or Elias, though it actuality it had just been a few months. He noticed her presence at his legs and flashed her a warm smile and patted her on the head. She felt droplets of water find their way to her scalp, but she did not mind. She was just happy to have her family all together. She never knew her dad. He had died before she was born. That’s all her mother ever told her.</p>
<p>	“The warehouse is an easy job, mom,” Elias tried his best to speak in a soothing tone, but it came out curt. He cleared his throat. “I mean, sure, the labor is tough. But it’s worth it. You have Callie to take care of. You don’t have time to work.” </p>
<p>	“We should talk about this later,” Malcom interrupted with a sharp glare to his brother. He loathed the thought of discussing such matters in front of their younger sister. She did not need to worry about money or anything of the sort. Not when she was only six years old. He had heard their mother and their father arguing about money when he was young. It only brought stress.</p>
<p>	“What’d she say about the market?” Elias asked, swiftly picking up on his brother’s train of thought and changing the subject. “Were you two about to head out?”</p>
<p>	Karina smiled and looked at Callie’s hopeful expression. With a sigh, she stood from her seat, fetching her purse from a hook on the wall. “Yes, we were. You’ll come with us, won’t you?” </p>
<p>	“Of course,” Malcom practically purred, pulling Callie up into his arms. She rested her chin on his shoulder, humming to herself. Slowly, they left the house, footsteps upon the cobblestone filling the air. Their street was not a busy one itself, which was nice. They were only a short walk from the marketplace. Callie breathed in the warm, dry air, the scents of the city filling her nose. She loved their home. </p>
<p>	They walked on for a few minutes before the streets began to grow more congested. Callie’s grip on her brother tightened – she never liked big crowds. Everyone was so much bigger and taller than her. It was frightening. Eventually they came to the area of the marketplace where stalls and shops lined the street. Karina strolled over to one, examining an assortment of produce while Elias stood at her side. Malcom hung back with Callie still in his arms, humming a quiet tune to himself before he pushed Callie back slightly to look in her eyes.</p>
<p>	“Where was it you wanted to go?” Malcom asked, flashing her one of his warmest smiles. Naturally, she broke out into a smile as well.</p>
<p>	“Miss Elda’s plant shop! I want flowers,” Callie answered with a beaming grin. </p>
<p>	“Flowers it is then! Let’s go,” Malcom decided as he pulled her closer to his chest, strolling through the thick crowd in the direction of Elda’s shop. Idle chatter surrounded her as people bargained with shopkeepers. </p>
<p>	After a minute or so they reached the familiar stall, adorned with garland and various bunches of flowers. Elda’s face lit up at their approach; the elderly woman leaned on her stall and waved eagerly, a smile spreading across her delicate features. Callie giggled. Despite Elda’s obvious older age, she was always so happy. She radiated youth.</p>
<p>	“Well, if it isn’t my favorite customer!” Elda exclaimed, holding her arms out towards Callie, who eagerly allowed herself to be handed off to the woman. Callie buried her face into the woman’s dress, drinking in the scent of lavender. </p>
<p>	“You know she can’t stay away too long,” Malcom chuckled, his hands on his hips. </p>
<p>	“My, that is no problem with me!” Elda dismissed with a wave of her hand. “Now, sweetie, what were you thinking of getting today? My assistant picked out some mighty pretty marigold yesterday.” </p>
<p>	Callie’s eyes instinctively went to the table as she craned her neck to find the orange-gold flower Elda was referring to. Elda knew it was her favorite. She let out a gasp of awe as her eyes spotted the flowers. It reminded her of a warm fireplace, of the rising sun. She pointed at it excitedly, her eyes averting to Malcom with a yearning look.</p>
<p>	“Malcom! Please?” Callie asked, almost looking like a puppy.  </p>
<p>	“Okay, okay. How much?” Malcom asked Elda, fishing his wallet from his pocket. She set Callie down to help prepare the flowers for him.</p>
<p>	The rest of their words were drowned out, Callie’s attention setting on a small black kitten that was wandering nearby. She slowly edged closer to it, but it swiftly darted down the nearby alley at her approach. Frowning, Callie quickly followed it down the alleyway, stepped over puddles and trash as she tried edging closer to the feline. It was a dead-end alley, so the kitten had stopped and turned to closely watch her as she came closer. Its green eyes were wide with fear. Callie crouched, careful to leave some distance between the two of them. She held out a hand, beckoning the kitten to her.</p>
<p>	“Hey, it’s okay. I won’t hurt you,” Callie murmured in a soft voice, nervous she would scare the cat. “I promise. Come on now, don’t be shy.” </p>
<p>	The black kitten’s hackles fell flat as it slowly padded forward to tentatively sniff her hand. It paused for a few seconds before rubbing its chin on her hand. Delighted, Callie stroked under its chin. </p>
<p>	“That’s it, you don’t have to be scared,” Callie whispered as she carefull scooped the kitten into her arms. It seemed to have calmed down, for it remained still in her arms, resting its chin on her shoulder.</p>
<p>	“What do we have here?” a venomous voice snarled behind her, startling her as she whipped around to face the source of the words.</p>
<p>	A burly man wearing a tight-fitting tunic and dark pants blocked her exit, his dark gaze locked on her. Feeling her breath hitch, Callie quickly shuffled back until she felt the wall behind her, eyes wide in fear. </p>
<p>	“Aw, come on now, don’t be scared,” he hissed through his teeth, retrieving a knife from his belt and holding it backwards. “I just want to check you out.” </p>
<p>	“Leave me alone!” Callie screamed as loud as she could, holding the kitten tighter to her chest. She would not let it be scared off after earning its trust. </p>
<p>	Just as the man was about to lunge at her, the sound of wires straining filled the air before a cloaked figure landed directly on top of the man. As the dust cleared, Callie gasped as she saw the man had been completely detained, the soldier’s foot pressed firmly onto his head. The cloaked soldier pulled their hood down, revealing a beautiful brown-haired woman.</p>
<p>	“Are you okay, sweetheart?” the soldier asked kindly, her boot pressing harder on the man’s head. “How nasty of you to go after a little girl so openly. Scum of the earth.” Her voice was laced with ice as she spat at the man, who groaned underneath her foot.<br/>
“I’m okay,” Callie murmured, her hand gently petting the kitten who had remained in her arms. </p>
<p>	“My name’s Arlene. I’ll get this guy out of here, but, uh… where’s your family?” </p>
<p>	“They’re still shopping,” Callie said shyly, rocking on her heels. She was unaware of just how much danger she had been in. She tilted her head as she saw the emblem embedded on the soldier’s cloak – a pair of wings. “Are you a soldier?” </p>
<p>	“Yes, ma’am.” Arlene quickly saluted; her fist curled over her heart. “Cadet Arlene of the Scout Regiment, at your service. I came to Shiganshina to grab some supplies for the Commander. I’m glad I caught this guy before he could do anything.” A scout! Callie’s eyes were wide with awe.</p>
<p>	“I want to be like you when I’m older!” Callie announced with a grin. Arlene blinked before her face melted into a smile. </p>
<p>	Before they could continue, Callie watched as her brothers and mother burst into the alley, running towards her with wide, fearful eyes. </p>
<p>	“Callie! You know better than to wander off,” Malcom scolded as he crouched beside her, pulling her close to get a good look at her. “Are you okay? He didn’t hurt you, did he?” Callie shook her head quickly.</p>
<p>	“No, this lady stopped him,” Callie said pointedly before gesturing to the kitten in her arms. “But look! I got this kitty to like me.” Elias pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out an exasperated sigh as Karina then came to Callie’s side. </p>
<p>	“Never do that again,” Karina snapped, her voice strained. “Don’t just wander off like that, for any reason. You could have been kidnapped, or killed, or… Just don’t do that. Ever again.”</p>
<p>	Callie shrunk under the harsh glare of her mother. When she wanted to, she could be a scary woman. The young girl looked down at her feet, ashamed. She may have been young, but she knew when she had upset her mother. At her meekness, Karina sighed and kissed her forehead tenderly. </p>
<p>	“Thank you,” Elias said to the soldier, who was busy binding the criminal. Arlene glanced up and smiled warmly.</p>
<p>	“It’s just part of my job. And you, sweetheart,” Arlene said, glancing at Callie, “please do be more careful from now on.” </p>
<p>	As the soldier left, Callie looked up at her mother with pleading eyes. “Mama? Can I keep him?” </p>
<p>	“Callie, stop. We don’t have the money to pay for a pet,” Elias chided.</p>
<p>	Karina stared into her daughter’s eyes closely. Her irises were an iridescent blue, with hints of gray within them. Her unruly blonde curled framed her round face, a nod to her nickname “little lion.” An image of her husband flashed in her mind – his kind face, his gentle smile. She felt herself visibly soften. How could she stay so mad at her daughter, who was in every way like her husband? </p>
<p>	“Sure, sweetie,” Karina murmured, running a hand through Callie’s hair. The blonde was slightly surprised, but overjoyed. She let out a squeak of delight, squeezing the kitten close to her face.</p>
<p>	That day was a fateful day for Callie. Not only did she get herself a companion throughout her young years, but she also decided what she wanted to do with her life.<br/>
She would become a soldier in the Scout Regiment.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Graduation</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Callie makes a couple friends in the Cadet Corps, and she graduates. She looks forward for what's to come, but cannot help being afraid when they lived in such a terrible, scary world.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry this took forever!! I struggle in the exposition-type parts of writing so chapters like these take awhile. Hope you enjoy the read!</p>
<p>Just a disclaimer for the story: I'm trying to follow canon as best as I can, but some details are missing (or I can't find them), so I often add my own spin on certain things. The story will still follow the main events of the anime/manga, just probably not word for word or detail for detail.</p>
<p>Also, a TW in this chapter for: suicide mention, dark thoughts</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>[ Year 841 ] </p>
<p>	Callie inhaled the thick summer air as she stood at attention in a line of cadets, numerous other lines both in front of her and behind her. Some of her peers appeared confident – others, not too much. The tall girl beside her was sweating profusely, despite the fact the Instructor had not even reached their line yet. Callie felt a pang of sympathy for her and could very well relate to the anxiety. Still, she had something to prove here. </p>
<p>	Telling Karina that Callie intended to join the military – specifically, the Scout Regiment – had not gone well. First, her mother had been outraged. Screaming, telling her how stupid she was, asking if she was suicidal. </p>
<p>	She just wanted to prove herself. Everyone she grew up around thought her to be a delicate flower: too weak and fragile to fight or protect herself. To show her mother she was serious, she had worked out by herself for months leading up to her entry into the Training Corps. Sometimes one of her brothers, Malcom or Elias, would lend a hand. Most of the time they were too busy with their jobs, so it was rare. She treasured the time she had under their guidance regardless. </p>
<p>	Eventually Karina realized that Callie would not be swayed. So, she reluctantly gave Callie her blessing to enter the military, demanding that she stay alive no matter what.</p>
<p>	Callie knew she could not guarantee it. But she did anyways.</p>
<p>	Just then the Instructor commanded the line in front of her own to turn, signifying it was their line’s turn to be publicly humiliated. Callie held her chin up, trying to keep a stoic expression on her face despite the butterflies that flew wildly in her stomach. He went along the line of cadets, screaming degrading words and obscenities. She figured there would be a “break their spirit and rebuild them” type of activity here. Like how some people trained horses. She scoffed internally at the thought.</p>
<p>	Finally, he came to a halt in front of Callie. She met his harsh glare with one of her own, not letting her gaze sway from him. He eyed her up and down, then let out a cackle.</p>
<p>	“Well, I’ll be damned, Cadet. You’re the perfect bite-sized snack for the Titans! Name and place of origin? Why are you here, noodlehead?” </p>
<p>	“Callie Gallach of Shiganshina, sir! I want to give my heart to humanity by joining the Survey Corps!” Callie shouted in response, trying her best to keep her voice even. She winched as her voice cracked near the end of her statement, and inwardly cursed herself for her deep voice. </p>
<p>	“Oh? Do you have a death wish?”</p>
<p>	“No, sir! I have no intention of dying!” Callie replied firmly.</p>
<p>	The instructor shook his head disdainfully before moving onto the poor, shaking girl next to her. Callie winced as he screamed in her face. He carried on, harshly judging each of the Cadets. Her sense of empathy almost forced her in between him and the other cadets, but she knew this was all part of the training. It would get better. It had to. </p>
<p>	Eventually they were let go for dinner. Callie glanced up at the darkening sky, admiring how the clouds seemed to be hand-painted the finest orange and pink colors she had seen. She felt a light tap on her shoulder, and glanced around to see the tall, fidgeting girl who had been beside her earlier. Her auburn hair was pulled into a short, messy ponytail which she twirled a finger around. Emerald eyes stared everywhere but at her.</p>
<p>	“Hey, so… I was wondering if you wanted to sit together in the mess hall? I don’t know anybody here, I’m just… super nervous,” the girl stammered, a tinge of pink on her cheeks. </p>
<p>	“Sure,” Callie replied easily, trying to ease her fellow cadet’s worry with a warm smile. “Your name’s Scarlet, right? It’s nice to meet you. I’m Callie.” They began to walk side-by-side towards the dining hall, a warm breeze rushing past them. “It’s nice that there’s at least one other girl here. I was worried.” </p>
<p>	“Right?” Scarlet chuckled with a shake of her head. “I was beginning to think all hope for humanity was lost after listening to some of their introductions. Like the guy who said he wanted to join the Scouts because he wanted a horse?” </p>
<p>	The sound of someone clearing their throat behind them stopped them in their tracks. Warily, they slowly turned to see the young man in question. </p>
<p>	“Now what exactly is wrong with wanting a horse?” the boy asked, his hands on his hips. His voice sounded slightly shrill despite his tall, broad-shouldered frame. Callie fought the urge to burst out laughing, but it was in vain. The giggle broke out of her mouth, and before they knew it, both girls were cackling, holding their stomachs as they doubled over. The boy simply looked between of the time, slightly offended.</p>
<p>	“Why would you join the Scouts just to get a horse?” Callie spluttered in between fits of giggles, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. “There are so many better ways to get one without putting your life on the line… just for a fucking horse.”<br/>
“Please, don’t answer – I, genuinely, will piss myself,” Scarlet sobbed, huffing as she fought for her breath. </p>
<p>	He ignored her pointedly, much to the obvious horror on Scarlet’s face.</p>
<p>	“I get to kick titan ass while also looking cool as hell on a horse,” the boy said simply, producing more howls of laughter from the two girls. The instructor, who was still on the field talking to a cadet, turned towards them, his eyebrows knit together in fury.<br/>
“Hey! Go laugh in the mess hall, dumbasses. Nobody wants to hear you out here. You lot are loud enough to attract titans through the damn walls!” the instructor barked. At his venomous words, Callie, Scarlet, and the horse-boy quickly scurried to the dining hall, leaving a cloud of dust and dirt in their wake. </p>
<p>	Upon entering the mess hall, Callie was met with the lovely smell of freshly baked bread, as well as some sort of soup. They hurried into the lunch line, Scarlet and the horse-boy close behind. It seemed they were as ravenous as she was. The cooks gracious gave them their meals, and the trio sat at a table near the corner of the mess hall. They were mostly quiet as they swiftly ate their meals, obviously too hungry to talk. Eventually, though, Callie decided to break the silence.</p>
<p>	“So, horse-boy… where you from?” Callie asked, taking an unattractively large bite out of her loaf of bread. He gave her a withering look.</p>
<p>	“Horse-boy? Please, do not call me that,” he grunted, running a hand through his dark brown hair. “I’m from Ragako, a village in the southern region of Wall Rose. Also, my name is Zach. Please do not refer to me as horse-boy… ever.” </p>
<p>	“Nice to meet you, Zach,” Scarlet said, obviously warming up to them. She seemed much calmer now than she had been during the drill instructor’s degrading ceremony. “My name’s Scarlet. I’m from Krolva, the district on the western side of Wall Rose. A pleasure, country boy.”</p>
<p>	“My name’s Callie,” Callie introduced kindly, half-heartedly waving her hand, which held onto her loaf of bread. “From Shiganshina. So, if you lived in the country, why didn’t you just buy yourself a horse? Seems kind of… dumb.. to join the military to just get a horse. The Scout Regiment is the most dangerous, you know.” </p>
<p>	“Of course, I know that,” Zach snorted. “Getting a horse isn’t the only reason I want to join the Scout Regiment. And we couldn’t afford a horse.” </p>
<p>	“You better not flunk out of the Cadet Corps,” Callie warned with a humorous glint in her eyes. “I plan on joining the Scout Regiment, too. It’ll be nice to have someone with me.” </p>
<p>	“Well, I’m down to go,” Scarlet said with a shrug. “I didn’t really plan on joining a specific branch when I signed up to be a cadet. I thought I’d figure it out while I was here. Seeing the world outside the walls doesn’t sound too shabby.” </p>
<p>	Her usual upbeat tone had faltered, Callie noticed. She would not prod here, though. They had only just met – if Scarlet was troubled by something, then Callie would let her mention it on her own. Callie liked to think she had a knack for reading people, and not allowing her emotions to appear easily on her face. It was a game she would often play with Malcom back home. He would ask her what was wrong, and she would simply stare off into space, making no move to answer. It drove him crazy. Elias and her mother would just laugh. </p>
<p>	Sometime later, the rest of the cadets left to go to the barracks or wander the training grounds, but Callie, Scarlet, and Zach remained at their table, telling stories about their old lives. Well, Callie and Zach did. Scarlet did not say much about her home life, only furthering Callie’s suspicions. Still, it was a fun time. Scarlet just seemed to understand Callie, and Zach reminded her greatly of Malcom. As Scarlet teased Zach about his obsession with horses again, Callie’s gaze trailed to the window, observing the night sky. She wondered what her mother was doing now, without her there to help with dinner. Her chest ached with the longing to see her once again. Karina was her best friend. And the thought of her alone in that house saddened her greatly.</p>
<p>	Eventually, the stress of the day caught up with them, and they all agreed to retire to their rooms for the night. Since there were only two women in this particular group of cadets, Callie and Scarlet had the option to sleep in separate rooms, since they were the only girls, but they opted to stay in the same room. Callie laid back in her rather uncomfortable bed, facing towards the wooden ceiling as she hummed to herself. Scarlet was busily trying to get the tangles out of her hair.</p>
<p>	Callie closed her eyes as her thoughts buzzed around wildly in her head. She felt so many different emotions, and they were all closing in on her at the same time. Excitement. Fear. Reluctance. Determination. <i>Fear</i>. </p>
<p>	She would not disappoint her mother.</p>
<p>***<br/>
[ Year 844 ] </p>
<p> </p>
<p>	The next few years passed by quickly, each day full of training that made the time fly. Much of their training at first centered around trying to balance in the ODM gear. It had taken Callie a few tries to get the hang of it – the first few attempts ended in her losing balance, flipping over so her head faced the ground. Eventually, after practicing her balance, she managed to remain still and content in the gear, wires straining loudly as she remained airborne before her peers and the instructor. She was absolutely elated to finally get the hang of it.</p>
<p>	It was amusing to watch Zach learn the technique. The straps digging into your legs and hips was not a particularly pleasant feeling, and the grimace on Zach’s face when he first tried out the gear said all they needed to know. It took him a bit longer to learn how to balance his weight, but he eventually figured it out. Scarlet struggled even more than he did, but she, too, learned quickly.</p>
<p>	To both the instructor and their peers, it was obvious the three friends were the shining stars of their class. Each of them excelled in something – Scarlet stood out in medical training, Zach did the best in the titan courses, and Callie was naturally skilled with the ODM gear. It only reinforced Callie’s beliefs that the three of them were meant for greatness. Sleep avoided coming to her at night due to the excitement that simmered in her head. They would be the best of their class, and it was rare for any of the top ten recruits to join the Scout Regiment. She wondered if the Scouts would be pleased. </p>
<p>	Over the time spent in the Cadet Corps, Callie had grown close with Scarlet and Zach. It was almost like they replaced the void where her brothers had once been. </p>
<p>	It was so close to graduation. Callie could not wait; she itched to get out of the classroom and training grounds. During their training on the titan dummies in the forest, she would fly past her classmates, flipping through the air as her hooks dug into nearby trees to soar high above the titans before swooping down, slicing straight through the rubber neck napes with ease. Her light weight made it easy for her to garner speed, and she used it to her advantage where her physical strength failed. </p>
<p>	The most grueling part of their entire training had to be the winter expedition they went on. It was one of their final tests before they were to graduate. They had to prove their survival skills in the freezing forest, only in groups of four. Callie, Scarlet, and Zach had been separated, much to Callie’s disappointment. </p>
<p>	While she was talented in fighting and decent enough at academics, one thing Callie could hardly stand was the cold. She had learned when she was young that she was anemic – she had a low blood cell count, and so she often grew fatigued faster than others, as well as felt the cold more so than her peers. She could not stop herself from shivering and she and her team walked up the incline towards the base, even beneath her bundles of clothing. Her team, despite not knowing her well, offered to take breaks often, but she refused. She would not let her condition make her a worse soldier. </p>
<p>	Eventually they did make it to the cabin base, and when they did, Scarlet and Zach rushed over to Callie, practically dragging her to the fireplace as her teeth chattered loudly. She appreciated their concern, but she felt heat bloom in her cheeks as the instructor eyed her with his disdainful expression. He creeped her out – he always seemed to be watching. </p>
<p>	Soon after the winter expedition came their graduation. On the eve of it, Callie, Scarlet, and Zach huddled in the girls’ room. Scarlet had apparently snuck into the officer’s quarters and stolen some liquor. Callie was not entirely fond of drinking; her brothers had let her taste some when she was younger, and it was one of the worst things she tasted. However, she could not deny Scarlet’s puppy-eyes. </p>
<p>	“Fine, fine, give me the bottle,” Callie snapped, snatching the bottle from her red-haired friend, and swiftly taking a big gulp. It burned in her throat, nearly making her eyes water. She wouldn’t let herself look like a weak-stomached little girl, though, so she willed her vision to clear. Still, she could not hide the scowl on her face as she shoved the bottle into Zach’s hands.</p>
<p>	“Nasty, huh?” Zach said with a knowing look, taking a couple sips from the bottle. He let out a cough, his face tinted red as he narrowed his eyes, staring at the bottle. “This shit <i>is</i> gross. Like, more gross than usual liquor.”</p>
<p>	“Well, what do you expect from the drill sergeant?” Scarlet muttered with a shake of her head. “You know he doesn’t get a good enough wage to afford good alcohol.” </p>
<p>	Callie pulled her knees up to her chest, resting her chin on her arms. “I wonder what our grades will be. We’ll find out when we get our certificates at the ceremony, right?” She hummed thoughtfully. “I wonder who’ll be ranked first.”</p>
<p>	“You, duh,” Zach spat unceremoniously, passing the drink along to Scarlet, who happily helped herself to its contents. “You make all of us look like dumbasses when we’re out training in the field.”</p>
<p>	“But I didn’t do that great on the schoolwork,” Callie protested, her dark brows furrowing. “You and Scarlet did awesome at that stuff. I could never pay attention for longer than five minutes.” </p>
<p>	Scarlet scoffed. “Come on, Callie. You should know by now the military cares more about fighting ability rather than academic knowledge.” </p>
<p>	“Well, I don’t really care much about the rankings,” Callie finally said, taking her turn with the liquor. She could already feel the warmth burning in her cheeks. “I just can’t wait for us to join the Scouts.” She playfully nudged Zach with her elbow. “You’ll finally get your horse.” </p>
<p>	He gave her an exasperated look. “It’s been three years. Can we drop the whole horse thing? I was nervous.” </p>
<p>	The girls shared a giggle, exchanging an amused glance. Callie felt the warmth spreading in her chest. Maybe it was the alcohol, but she was so grateful to have met the two of them here. She had been afraid she wouldn’t make any friends during her time in the Cadet Corps; she wasn’t exactly the most social person. She found it difficult to strike up a friendly conversation with someone she did not know. Luckily, she could lean on Scarlet to do that for her. </p>
<p>	It was surprising to see how different Scarlet had become from that first day in the Cadets. She had been trembling, terrified of the drill instructor. Now, she appeared happier than ever before.</p>
<p>	Eventually, Callie had found out why. Scarlet had not feared the sergeant, exactly – she had run away from her family and was afraid he would know or find out. That was the secret Callie sensed Scarlet was not telling. Apparently, she had an abusive father and a manipulative mother. Being the only child, they focused on their attention on her, and hounded her relentlessly. Callie was glad she had found an escape, and that it led Scarlet straight to her. Still, she could not help but feel a stab of empathy for her friend. Scarlet did not give her any gruesome details, but Callie feared her friend did go through horrible things at her home. </p>
<p>	The graduation ceremony was upon them in a flash. Callie and Scarlet dressed in their uniforms, standing in front of their own mirrors as each of them buttoned their white collared shirts. Scarlet proceeded to busy herself with cosmetics, her auburn hair spilling down to her mid-back. It had grown a lot since they first met. </p>
<p>	“Do you want to borrow some of my makeup, Callie?” Scarlet asked distractedly, trying to curl her lashes <i>just</i> right. </p>
<p>	Sheepishly, Callie shook her head. “No, thank you. I think it makes me look worse. You can still see my freckles even when my face is powdered. It looks weird.” Scarlet clicked her tongue, striding gracefully over to the blonde and wrapping an arm around her shoulder – which was not the hardest task due to their greatly contrasting heights – while staring at their reflection in the mirror.</p>
<p>	“My friend, you are so beautiful even without makeup. I love your hair, I think you should let it grow out,” Scarlet huffed as she weighed Callie’s curls in her free hand. </p>
<p>	Despite Scarlet’s best efforts, Callie still self-consciously crossed her arms over her chest, which made her only appear smaller. Feel safer. She never really liked the way she looked. She wasn’t really skinny – her legs were rather sizable due to the muscle she needed for ODM gear, giving her an almost pear shape. She always referred to her arms as noodle arms, the useless things. She could barely do a pull-up in training when she first joined the Cadet Corps. </p>
<p>	“It gets too hard to control when it’s long,” Callie protested lightly, shrugging Scarlet’s arm off her shoulder and going to stand beside their window. The midday sun hung high and proud in the sky, a gentle breeze rustling the leaves of the trees. She longed to go take a walk; it would calm her nerves.</p>
<p>	“Well, if you ever get to marry rich and live a life of tranquility, then you should definitely let it grow out,” Scarlet said with a lopsided smile. God, she was so pretty. </p>
<p>	“You know I don’t want that kind of life,” Callie murmured, unable to get rid of her own smile. She most surely knew Callie didn’t desire a life as a housewife. “I’d hate to take orders from some imbecilic man who complains about why the laundry isn’t done when he could easily do it himself.”</p>
<p>	“Preach,” Scarlet said, dipping her head in mock respect to Callie, whose small smile rapidly turned into a grin. “Well, we need to go do the practice ceremony in about thirty minutes. You wanna go grab Zach and head over to the plaza?” </p>
<p>	Callie nodded, checking her reflection in the mirror one last time. She smoothed the wrinkles in her black slacks before giving herself a nod and following Scarlet outside.</p>
<p>	Her boots, although just shined, quickly became caked with dirt and dust as they made their way to the men’s barracks. They passed by a few of their peers, who complimented them as they went. Anticipation made Callie’s skin prickle. Oh, how she was so ready for the ceremony to be over. The cadets got to visit their homes for a week before going to their chosen regiments. She had not seen her mother in three years, nor her brothers. She wondered how’d they react to her reappearance. </p>
<p>	Luckily, the cadets were permitted to send and receive letters during their time in training, so Callie still got to hear from them and talk to them as well. She mostly just wrote about how she wanted to go home, missed her family, and stories about Scarlet and Zach. Karina had insisted Callie bring Scarlet to visit Shiganshina. Callie knew that she did not desire to go visit her parents, so they would go to Callie’s home together.</p>
<p>	After grabbing Zach, who looked rather handsome with his hair slicked back, they headed to the plaza, where they were to graduate and meet the commanders of each regiment. The practice ceremony seemed to go on forever – the drill sergeant wanted everything to be perfect, saying that if they embarrassed him, they would be kicked out of the cadets before graduating or choosing a branch. </p>
<p>	At last, the sun edged close to the horizon, staining the sky a mixture of purple and orange. The cadets stood at attention in horizontal rows before the stage, where the instructor stood proudly as each of the commander went upon the stage and hung behind him. She recognized the Scout commander immediately – mostly because of the badge, but she wouldn’t admit that – with his closely cropped brown hair and unsettling gaze. </p>
<p>	Their instructor went closer to the edge of the stage. Torches lighted the area all around them, casting intense orange light across every person’s features. </p>
<p>	“I present to you, the 98th Cadet Corps!” At his roar, the cadets let out a cry of resolution, the sound of fists slamming against chests filling the air. “All of you have my respect for making it this far. But there are ten of you who stood out!” The instructor turned, glancing at the commanders. “These are your top ten!” </p>
<p>	He began calling names, with each respective person moving to stand in front of their graduating class. Callie was only listening for three names in particular. </p>
<p>	“Rank three! Scarlet Wirsch!” </p>
<p>	Callie lit up at her friend’s name, glancing over to where she stood in the crowd. Scarlet held her chin high as she walked past her classmates and took her place next to the other members of the top ten. She cast a glance over her should at Callie, grinning ear to ear. </p>
<p>	“Rank two! Zachary Milner!”<br/>
Zach beamed, though he looked a little surprised. He ran a hand through his dark brown curls as he quickly took his place beside Scarlet. Her two friends looked at each other with joy. Callie shifted her weight between her feet, worry clouding her happiness for her friends at that moment. Was that it? Had she not been in the top ten? She tried her best to hide a scowl. Her mom would be so disappointed in her. </p>
<p>	“Rank one – the top Cadet of the 98th, Callie Gallach!”</p>
<p>	She felt her mouth part slightly as those around her looked at her expectantly. Eyes burned into her back as she slowly made her way to the line of cadets, coming to a halt at Zach’s side. He nudged her with his arm, smiling widely. It spread to her own features as she looked up at the instructor, her fist firmly placed against her heart.</p>
<p>	“You all have shown your skill in the field, and humanity is lucky to have you! The top ten will have the choice to pick what regiment they desire, including the Military Police! Only the top ten candidates will be allowed to join the MPs,” the instructor shouted. “I will now hand the floor over to the commanders, who would be glad to have each and every one of you in their regiment if possible.” </p>
<p>	It was hard not to scoff. For the past three years, he had done nothing but degrade them. Now he wanted to act like he was proud of them. Despite the irritation Callie most definitely felt – her nails were making tiny crescents in her palms – she managed to keep a straight face.</p>
<p>	The first commander to introduce himself was the commander of the Military Police. Callie forced herself to keep her gaze on him – his own was lingering on her. He spouted some bullshit about serving the king and his being the most rewarding regiment before he stepped away. Next came Commander Pixis, the commander of the Garrison Regiment. He spoke briefly before letting the Scout commander, Shadis, take the floor. </p>
<p>	“The Scout Regiment is the most noble regiment. We traverse beyond the walls in hopes of reclaiming the territory we lost to the Titans,” Shadis said evenly with a power in his voice only commanders could have. “It is not easy by any means. Many who join us die within the first year of their service.” Callie heard an audible gasp from the cadets. “But there is nothing better than laying your life down for your people. I believe in you, cadets. One of you could become one of humanity’s strongest weapons.” He dipped his head, his expression stoic as ever. “Thank you.” </p>
<p>	Calle glanced over to her friends, who remained unnerved by Shadis’s daunting speech. She felt herself swell with pride at their bravery.</p>
<p>	A bitter feeling washed over her as an intrusive thought appeared in her brain, unwelcome and seeking to drown her joyful spirits: <i>It wouldn’t be so bad to die, anyways</i>. </p>
<p>	If she were not standing before the most notable soldiers in the military, she would have smacked herself. She felt her jaw clench in fury. Why could her mind just let herself be happy? She was the top of their class, after all. Her lip quivered. So why? </p>
<p>	During her thoughts, the instructor announced them as official graduates, and her class let out a collective shout. All except her. Zach glanced curiously at her and gave her a little nudge. Concern was etched all over his features. The 98th slowly left the plaza, heading towards the mess hall to celebrate or chat with the commanders. Scarlet and Zach stared at her.</p>
<p>	“What’s wrong, Callie?” Zach asked in a murmur.</p>
<p>	“Nothing,” Callie answered, almost too quickly. She forced a wide smile, pulling in her two much taller friends for a hug. “I’m just so proud of us! We did it!” </p>
<p>	“Sure did!” Scarlet giggled. “Nothing like two girls being in the top three in a division full of boys.” The two girls clumsily chest bumped while Zach watched, shaking his head with a big grin plastered on his face.</p>
<p>	“Callie?” the baritone voice of their instructor roused Callie from her reverie. She turned to look at him. He wore a conflicted expression. “May we talk privately for a moment?” </p>
<p>	Casting a sidelong glance at her friends, Callie reluctantly accepted and followed the instructor to the edge of the plaza. His arms were crossed as he turned to face her, his gaze settled on her. She wanted to squirm under his heavy scrutinization, but she refused. She was stronger than that.</p>
<p>	“I wanted to urge you not to join the Scouts,” the instructor began, holding up a hand to silence her, for she was already about to protest. “I know you’ve been talking about it since you joined. However, it is a waste for you to join the Survey Corps. They will only send you to your death when you could become one of the best MPs to exist.” She bristled, unable to conceal her anger. </p>
<p>	“I’m sorry, sir,” she said evenly, “but I don’t believe it’s a waste. The Scouts are the most noble of the military, and I aspire to protect my family as best I can. Being outside the walls will assure that.”</p>
<p>	He shook his head with a scowl. “You’ll die within the first few weeks.” </p>
<p>	“Thanks for the encouragement,” Callie snapped. “I’ll be sure to hold your words close to my heart.” With that, she stalked off to rejoin her friends. Screw it, she thought. He wasn’t in charge of her anymore. </p>
<p>	At her arrival, Scarlet and Zach questioned her about their conversation, but she waved them off, assuring it was nothing to concern themselves with. She did not want to bother them about the instructor’s unnecessary prying. </p>
<p>	It was a long and boisterous celebration. The newly graduated cadets partied until late into the night before the instructor finally came in and ordered them to bed. Callie was never a fan of parties, but since there was alcohol, it loosened up her nerves. She mostly danced with just Scarlet and Zach, but a few of their peers joined her as well. It was nice. There was no worry about what was to come – just a bunch of young adults celebrating their first victory. </p>
<p>	That night brought troubled thoughts to Callie, as most nights did. She laid awake in her bed, laying flat so she faced the ceiling. Her eyes burned; she was so tired, but they refused to remain closed. The instructor’s words haunted her mind. What if she did die at the beginning of her career? The beginning of her life? </p>
<p>	She mentally chided herself. No, she would not die. She wouldn’t let herself die. Her or her friends. Her fist tightened on her chest. She would make her family proud. Prove that she wasn’t a fragile little girl. She was a soldier – the best of her class.<br/>

<i>I will make my mark on this ugly world</i>, Callie thought as determinedly as she could, but the dreadful doubt slipped itself into her mind before she could fight it off.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The fun stuff is soon to come! Just want to let you guys get to know our MC for now, as well as her lovely friends! ; )<br/>just a lil side note: themes of dark thoughts will continue in this story because Callie does, in fact, have intrusive thoughts. She's really insecure and simply angry at herself for being the way she is, but she'll grow as the story continues.<br/>also, apologies for any typos! I proofread before I post the chapters but sometimes I just be skimming... anyways, see you soon!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Welcome to the Scouts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Callie joins the Scouts and learns the ropes.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Oh, must you leave so soon?” Karina cried as she pulled Callie into a nearly suffocating hug, almost able to lift the petite woman right off the ground. “You just got here a few days ago! Your brothers didn’t even get to stop by and say hi.” </p><p>“Mom, we have to go to the Scout headquarters,” Callie protested, somehow managing to scramble out of her mother’s tight grasp. “We have to be introduced to the regiment and get assigned to our squads.” Scarlet giggled from behind her, leaning against the kitchen counter. Sunlight shone through the open window, making her auburn hair look as if it were aflame. </p><p>“I guess duty calls,” Karina sighed as she crossed her arms. She returned to her seat at the dining table, a grimace etched onto her face. Callie winched internally – she knew why she was so insistent she stay longer. It was because this may be goodbye, forever. But there was nothing that could be done to change military rules, and Callie had dedicated herself to humanity. </p><p>The past few days had been a blur, to say the least. Callie showed Scarlet around Shiganshina, taking her to all her favorite restaurants and shops. When Callie went to find Elda’s flower shop, she was anguished to find that she had died of natural causes while Callie had been in the Cadet Corps. The shop she had once occupied had been replaced with a butcher’s shop. The irony of it all irked her, but she supposed that was how life was. Cruel.</p><p>Her mother’s gentle touch on her shoulder roused Callie from her thoughts. When she flinched, Karina’s brows furrowed as she cupped Callie’s face in her hands.</p><p>“Are you okay?” her mother asked gently. The caring tone in her voice sent the tears spilling down Callie’s face. With a whimper, the blonde buried her face into her mother’s shoulder, trying to control the tremors that ran through her body. Scarlet turned away, perhaps to give them some privacy, as Karina tenderly stroked Callie’s hair. “You’re not supposed to be the one crying, silly. I should be.” </p><p>“I can’t help it,” Callie sniffled, pulling away. “I just have missed you for so long, and I have to leave so soon again.”</p><p>“What happened to my stoic little lion?” Karina asked, a half-smile gracing her features. Callie always thought she was the most beautiful woman to exist, and the sunlight highlighting the bridge of her nose and cheeks solidified that thought in her mind. “Come on, sweetie. Be brave. I’ll see you again soon.” </p><p>Callie nodded, and with that, she and Scarlet departed Shiganshina. As the district became more and more distant on the horizon, the anxious feeling in her stomach waned. Her mother had been right – she was a soldier now. She had to act like it, and not cry because she could not see her mom. </p><p>“I didn’t know you were capable of being emotional,” Scarlet quipped. “In the three years I’ve known you, I haven’t seen you shed a single tear.”</p><p>A bitter smile found its way onto Callie’s face as she replied, “Guess it was just from it being bottled up for so long.” </p><p>--</p><p>They arrived just in time for the joining ceremony. Right after being reunited with Zach, they went straight to meet Commander Shadis, along with the squad leaders. Shadis carried an almost haunted look everywhere he went, with his sunken eyes and the shadow that always loomed on his face. He spoke to them kindly enough, talking about how brave they were for joining the Scouts. Callie guessed they had special privileges to meet the highest-ranking officials in the Scouts since they graduated at the top of their class.</p><p>The squad leaders were mostly young, still having bright-eyed smiles and friendly, upbeat tones. There was a handsome blonde who introduced himself as Erwin. His icy blue gaze almost matched her own. The other three were named Hange, Flagon, and Mike. Flagon seemed to be the most standoffish of the trio. Mike was quiet, and she could hear him sniffling. She wondered if he had allergies. Hange was rather eccentric in her introduction and stared wildly at Callie.</p><p>“You’re so short, but you truly graduated at the top of your class?” Hange asked, obviously in disbelief. Callie would feel a twinge of irritation if she were not so used to comments about her height.</p><p>“Yes, that’s right,” Callie answered with a dip of her head. Erwin flashed a warning glare to his red-headed companion.</p><p>“Hange…” </p><p>“I’m just so pleased, is all! Ooh, Shadis, you must assign her to my squad!” Hange insisted, clasping her hands together as she pleaded. “Please, Commander!” </p><p>Shadis glanced between her and Callie before shaking his head. “No, she will be in Mike’s squad. Cadet Scarlet Wirsch, you will be with Mike as well. Cadet Zachary Milner, you will be with Flagon’s squad.” </p><p>Callie suppressed her urge to protest, for she had yearned for she and her friends to be in the same squad. When she glanced at Zach, she knew that he was upset by this, as well. She would dare not argue with the Commander, though. She knew better. Shadis had paused, seemingly expecting them to protest, but they remained silent. With a satisfied nod, he turned to his squad leaders.</p><p>“Go ahead and give them a tour of the headquarters. After that, let them choose their horses. The unclaimed ones are in the pasture,” Shadis instructed them. The squad captains saluted, and with that, Callie and Scarlet were led away by Mike while Zach followed Flagon in an opposite direction.</p><p>“Are you upset that your friend was assigned to a different squad?” Mike suddenly asked, not bothering to even glance over his shoulder at them. </p><p>Too busy taking in her surroundings, Callie almost did not hear him. She was studying the buildings and mentally noting each one. One looked similar to the dining hall they used at the Cadet Corps, so she assumed that was where they would eat. Next to it looked like the barracks. There was only one building; she guessed they could not afford to have separate barracks for the women and men.</p><p>Surprisingly, the Scout headquarters were quite pretty. Dirt paths led to each building, with the walkways being shaded by large oak trees. A pasture full of the Scout horses sat nearby, the steeds within grazing upon the long blades of grass. One path led into the woods, so Callie assumed that was where the training grounds were. </p><p>Mike clearing his throat made Callie snap to attention. He had stopped in his tracks and was eyeing her expectantly.</p><p>“Well, Miss Gallach, I’m waiting for an answer,” Mike clarified for her when she made no move to respond. Scarlet shifted nervously next to her. “Miss Wirsch already answered me.” </p><p>“Yes, I am upset Zach isn’t with us,” Callie replied flatly as she raised her chin. “However, I understand the decision, so I won’t argue against it.” </p><p>Their squad leader drank in her words, calculating something in his head before giving her a small nod. </p><p>He showed them their room, and once again they were rooming with each other. The room was like a carbon copy of their room at the Cadet Corps, except the fact that these buildings were made of stone and not wood. A window sat between their beds, letting light filter in. Narrowing her eyes, Callie could see specks of dust flying in the sunlight. She sniffled.</p><p>Next, he showed them the stables. They already had stalls with plaques branded with their names, but no horses were in them yet. Tack hung in each of their stalls<br/>.<br/>As Callie and Scarlet examined their stalls, Mike crossed his arms and looked on, his face blank.</p><p>“We’re about to go to the pasture with the unassigned horses. There, a horse will choose you,” Mike explained, beckoning them to follow him out of the stables and into a pasture separated from the main one. “Now, go and try to connect with one of them. They will be your lifeline beyond the walls, so make sure you choose correctly.” </p><p>Exchanging a nervous glance, Callie and Scarlet wandered in separate directions. Some of the horses were gathered in little groups, and Callie noticed Scarlet headed towards one. </p><p>One horse in particular caught Callie’s eye. It was a beautiful dapple gray stallion, with an ebony-colored mane and tail. He stood off by himself, grazing. Steadying herself, Callie slowly approached him, one hand raised. <br/>“Hey, buddy,” Callie murmured, trying to keep her voice soft. “You’re a handsome fellow. Why’re you all alone, hmm?” </p><p>At her voice, his head shot up, ears pricked and alert. She held her hands up in surrender when he whinnied.</p><p>“Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you,” Callie cooed, daring to take a step closer. A smile found its way onto her face. She wondered how Zach would react to getting his own horse. The horse bobbed his head and seemed to mull her over in his head before taking a step towards her. Slowly, the tip of his muzzle pressed into the palm of her hand. </p><p>“That’s right,” Callie said, trying to contain her joy. “You may be a loner, but you’re a sweet boy.” </p><p>Mike came up from behind her, holding a halter and lead for her. His lips were curled up into a half-smile as he gazed at her, watching her tie the halter to the stallion. </p><p>“Good work,” Mike complimented her as he looked the gray horse up and down. “This guy has been in the pasture for a while. He’s been reluctant to accept a rider until now.”</p><p>“Callie, look!” Scarlet’s shout caused her to flinch, her head whipping around to find her friend, who was running towards them. A chestnut mare followed behind her, tail swishing. The smile that had been on her face turned into a big, dumb grin when she saw her friend. “Zach is gonna be so jealous we got our horses first!”</p><p>Callie stifled a giggle when she saw the grimace on Mike’s face – she could see that his pale eyes glinted with humor, though. He would surely have his hands full with the two of them. </p><p>--</p><p>	The next few months were very busy for them. It was full of training with both the horses and the other Scouts. Callie got to meet the other members of Mike’s squad: Nanaba and Gelgar. Nanaba had been in the Scouts for a few years, but Gelgar had joined just the previous year. Nanaba especially was very warm to them, congratulating them on being put in such a notable squad right after graduating from the Cadet Corps. Gelgar as well was warm enough. </p><p>	Mike praised her speed and nimbleness, but insisted she continued to work on communication. As he helpfully put it, “You need to ask your superior before you charge headfirst towards a 15-meter Titan.” </p><p>	Soon enough came time for their first expedition. It was an invigorating feeling, all saddled up with the rest of the Scouts in Shiganshina as they prepared to venture beyond the walls. Most looked on with disdain or uttered insults, but the starry-eyed looks of the children who watched in wonder made her feel reassured. </p><p>	Karina and her brothers had been in the crowd that sent them off. They looked on with pride, waving as they went out the gate and into the unknown. She knew they were afraid for her; afraid of losing her. She was too. </p><p>	Their first expedition was scary, but they were ready for it. Three months of grueling training would do that. Mike also took extra measures to prevent them from taking fights they could not handle alone, with Nanaba and Gelgar there to help as well. Still, Callie managed to prove her worth when a Titan had unknowingly flanked them. She zipped through the air and cut it down within a minute, earning praise from her squad members. Mike simply just smiled at her.</p><p>	She had decided to name her stallion Cinder, since he was gray. Rather boring, she knew, but she liked how simple it was. He was a simple horse, after all. Wary of strangers, but friendly with her. Callie had spent extra time in his stall to solidify their bond, and it showed on their expedition.</p><p>	Callie ended the expedition with two solo kills and two assists, and Scarlet with two assists. The expedition itself was successful, as well. They managed to set up supply posts for future expeditions, and the number of casualties were less than the usual. Zach had apparently done well in the expedition as well, having a solo kill and three assists.</p><p>	The pride that Callie felt for her friends was so great, she could not even explain it.</p><p>	As time passed, she grew used to the life of a Scout. She found friendship in her squad members and still hung out with Zach whenever they ate or had free time. The routine she settled into was comforting – wake up early, eat, train, relax, eat, train some more. It was hard work, but she was thankful she did not have much time to think. </p><p>	As the new year came and went, this peaceful routine of Callie’s was shattered when a trio of criminals from the Underground joined the Survey Corps.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry that this chapter is a bit short; things will flow more easily probably starting next chapter, and we also get to see our special lil angry man, so get ready!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Newcomers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>TW for: vomiting, hangover<br/>if that sort of stuff bothers you please skip this chapter!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The first thing Callie felt when she woke up was an unsettling gurgling in her stomach. Nearly launching off her bed, she ran into her and Scarlet’s shared restroom and subsequently vomited her dinner from last night. She winced as the burn of the acid remained in her throat afterwards, her head hanging over the edge of the toilet. Damn Zach for making her drink so much the previous night. Her head felt like it would explode.</p><p>	Winter was downtime for the Scouts, she came to realize. Travelling during the harsh weather was not wise, and it was said that titan activity became less frequent as well. This meant many chores and training for them. As well as unnecessary parties. This particular party was “extra special,” since some of the high-ranking officers had left on a mysterious mission to the capital – Erwin had taken a couple of his squad members and Mike with him. </p><p>	While Callie incoherently groaned into the toilet bowl, she heard the stumbling footsteps of Scarlet approach. Squinting, Callie forced herself to look up and meet her red-headed friend’s gaze. They both shared hollow-looking faces, pale from the hangover, as well as the same dead-inside aura.</p><p>	“You okay?” Scarlet croaked, leaning against the doorframe unsteadily. </p><p>	Callie nodded, wiping her face, and flushing her vomit down the toilet. With a heaving grunt, she managed to climb to the sink and splash some water on her face, ignoring the water that managed to soak some of her hair.</p><p>	“I’ll manage,” Callie grumbled, staring at herself in the mirror. God, she looked like shit.</p><p>	“Well, we better,” Scarlet warned, retreating back into their bedroom and flopping onto her thin mattress. The blinds were closed, thankfully, so they were not incapacitated by the light. Yet. At her ominous words, Callie scrambled into their room and stared at her with a raised brow. Scarlet sighed, “Erwin and Mike are returning from their mission today. If Mike sees us in this state, he’ll punish us terribly, no doubt.” </p><p>	With a fearful gulp, Callie sat on her bed, staring at her nightstand. She had picked some lavender the other day, and it sat happily in its little jar. It reminded her of her mom. She always loved lavender.</p><p>	A wicked grin suddenly found its way on her face. “Why don’t we go see Hange? I’m sure she’ll have something that’ll at least help our hangovers a little bit.”</p><p>	Scarlet shot her a weary look. “You really think she wouldn’t tell on us?”</p><p>	“On my heart,” Callie said with a wry smile, placing her fist over her chest in the signature salute of the Scouts. </p><p>	Rolling her eyes in response, Scarlet grudgingly agreed. The two of them managed to clean themselves up a decent amount, enough to where they would not obviously look like they had drunk until midnight. Callie truly was confident that Hange would help them and keep it a secret. This was mostly because Callie had taken in interest in the eccentric scientist’s research. Over the past few winter months, they had spent a substantial amount of time in Hange’s study, with her carefully explaining theories for certain Titan behaviors. It genuinely interested Callie, so she did not mind her excited ramblings.</p><p>	Upon exiting the barracks, both Callie and Scarlet shared a groan of pain as the morning sunlight blinded them. Another wave of nausea washed over Callie.</p><p>	“I swear, I’m never drinking again,” Callie grunted, leading the way over to where most of the high-ranking soldiers had their offices. It was in a separate building, perhaps to instill some sense of superiority. She supposed it made sense. </p><p>	“You always say that,” Scarlet scoffed with a knowing look, making Callie hunch over. She was right.</p><p>	 Somehow, they managed to get to Hange’s office without running into any other soldiers. Perhaps it was since the Scouts wanted to have the opportunity to sleep in late during their off time. Callie understood the idea, but she actually enjoyed waking up early, believing it to give her an extra start to her day. She felt useless otherwise.</p><p>	After a few knocks on her door, Hange appeared, her smile widening at the sight of Callie and Scarlet before quickly melting into a frown.</p><p>	“You guys look like shit,” Hange commented, a look of concern crossing her features. “You alright?”</p><p>	“We’re fine, just had a little too much to drink last night,” Callie half-chuckled, half-grunted. “I was wondering if you had anything to help us out a bit… especially since Mike gets back today, and I would legitimately cry if he was disappointed in me.” </p><p>	Laughing heartily, Hange shuffled out of their way, granting them access to her office. They gratefully entered, with Scarlet’s head dipped in shame. Hange went over to a shelf and fished out a jaw that had a pale-colored root inside. She twisted it open and pulled a piece out, snapping it in half and handing one to each of them.</p><p>	“Ginger root,” Hange explained helpfully. “Should help settle your stomachs. Other than that, some fresh air and lots of hydration should help you out.” </p><p>	Reluctantly, Callie quickly ate it to make the experience less unpleasing. Ginger tasted odd to her, and judging by the look on Scarlet’s face, she felt similarly.</p><p>	“Please, don’t tell Mike,” Scarlet managed to mumble in between bites of the root. A red blush tinged her cheeks; she was obviously embarrassed of their situation. “He’d get mad if he knew we had been fooling around while he was gone.” </p><p>	Hange smiled at her honesty. “Oh, don’t worry,” she said with a wave of her hand. “That weirdo knows you kids need to let loose sometimes.” She winked after adjusting her goggles. “Your secret is safe with me!” </p><p>	“Oh, how can I repay you, Hange?” Callie whined, tossing her head backwards. “You always have our backs.” </p><p>	“Hush now,” Hange chuckled, ushering them out the door. “Go get some exercise; maybe go for a ride or something. Erwin and them should be arriving sometime around noon, so make yourselves look like hard-working cadets!” </p><p>	Invigorated by both the ginger and Hange’s encouragement, the two young women rushed off to the stables, each of them agreeing that a ride sounded good. While Scarlet went and tended to her chestnut mare, Callie strode over to Cinder’s stall, grinning at the sight of her gray stallion. At her approach, he had stuck his head out the stall, bobbing his head towards her. Giggling, Callie tenderly stroked his snout. He let out a delighted snort at her touch. </p><p>	“You wanna go out for a ride, buddy?” Callie asked. He snorted again. “I bet you do. Pretty boring in here, right? It’s kind of warm today, for once. A ride would do us both some good.” </p><p>	They had a routine now that they had gotten used to each other. Before they would go out, Callie would give him a good brushing and feed him, as well as refill his water trough. She would hum whatever obscure tune popped into her head and hang out with Cinder as he ate. When he was finished, she would tack him up.</p><p>	“You ready, Callie?” Scarlet called from her stall. She could hear the tapping of the mare’s hooves on the floor. </p><p>	“In a second!” Callie responded, having just tightened Cinder’s saddle. Once satisfied it would not budge, she slowly led the gray stallion out of his stall, leaving the stables to join Scarlet outside. She was already mounted up, staring up at the clear, sunny sky with narrowed eyes. </p><p>	“Think it’s gonna rain?” Callie asked wryly before heaving herself onto Cinder’s saddle, giving the stallion a good pat on his neck. </p><p>	“Yeah, definitely,” Scarlet snorted, flashing Callie a withering look before glancing around. “Where do you wanna ride to?” </p><p>	“We can just ride through the empty fields between here and Wall Maria,” Callie answered, thinking that to be the obvious option. She did not feel like taking Cinder into the forest when she was not fully alert. Too many hidden roots and rocks to worry about. </p><p>	“Sounds good to me,” Scarlet agreed, and with that, the two horses took off into a comfortable gallop away from the Scout headquarters.</p><p>	There was nothing like riding on Cinder and just feeling the cold breeze wash over her, tousling her already wild hair and sending shivers down her arms. It was this feeling that Callie so desperately wanted when she was younger. She truly felt free. It may have been warm for a winter day, but that did not mean it was not that cold. She pulled the sleeves of her jacket over her hands, wincing at how numb they felt.</p><p>	As Cinder and Scarlet’s mare, Alev, took turns weaving between each other, Callie hummed in thought. When Mike had told them that he was going on a mission with Erwin to the capital, it had piqued her interest greatly. She yearned to know just what they were doing there: why did a Scout need to go to Wall Sina? She supposed today she would find out.</p><p>	Slowly, Callie dared to remove her boots from the stirrups, tucking them underneath her body as they strode up the hill. Scarlet flashed her an alarmed look.</p><p>	“What do you think you’re doing?” Scarlet asked, her eyebrows knitted together. </p><p>	“Just trying to enjoy the ride,” Callie replied wistfully, a smirk playing on her lips. Her friend shook her head just as they came over the top of the hill.</p><p>	Callie forced herself to her feet on the saddle, outstretching her arms to keep her balance. The feeling of the wind nearly sending her toppling off of Cinder gave her a thrill, and she hoped it would help her regain some of her senses lost to her hangover. She even dared to close her eyes, smiling widely as the breeze brushed her face. </p><p>	“What a show-off,” Scarlet said, but Callie could hear the amusement in her voice. </p><p>	The sound of a carriage made Callie freeze. Slowly, she peeled her eyes open, and felt her jaw drop as she saw that it was the same one that Erwin, Mike, and the few other soldiers had departed to the capital on. It was approaching the headquarters, straight towards them. </p><p>	“Oh, fuck,” Callie gasped before she subsequently lost balance. Bracing herself, she felt her body topple over the side of Cinder, rolling a bit down the hill before she came to a stop, outstretched on the grass. Cinder’s anxious whinny filled the air, as did Alev skidding to a halt nearby. </p><p>	Scarlet ran over and crouched next to Callie, eyes wide with concern. “You okay?!” </p><p>	Sadly, she was. Heat warmed her cheeks as Callie sat up, rubbing her face in her hands before blinking and meeting her friend’s gaze.</p><p>	“Yeah, I’m fine,” Callie managed to say, her voice meek.</p><p>	Scarlet’s concerned look turned into a frown. “You shouldn’t try stuff like that without your ODM gear on.” </p><p>	The sound of hooves pounding approached them. Hunched over, Callie anxiously watched as the carriage rolled up beside them, with Erwin and Mike bursting out. Mike, hands on his hips, strode over to Callie and looked down at her with a blank look.</p><p>	“What are you doing?” Mike asked, his voice unnervingly even.</p><p>	“Just going for a ride,” Callie answered quickly, hoping she did not look as terrible as she had when she first got up that morning. “Lost my balance a bit there, I guess.” </p><p>	Mike calculated something in his head before exchanging an amused glance with Erwin. Callie wanted to squirm underneath the piercing eyes of the two men. </p><p>	“Not the wisest choice to stand in the saddle while going downhill,” Erwin commented, his eyes glinting with humor. Mike chuckled next to him and murmured agreement. </p><p>	It seemed her two superior officers were not the only ones watching her. Curiosity got the better of her, and she glanced towards the carriage. Inside, she could see three people watching her. A red-headed girl with a doll-like face looked wide-eyed at her, a cheeky grin playing on her lips. Another was a blonde young man with pale blue eyes similar to hers, the corner of his lips curved upward. The last was a man with raven hair and narrowed eyes that looked at her disdainfully. </p><p>	“Who’re they?” Callie finally asked, her gaze lingering on the raven-haired man. Unlike the other two, who looked slightly relaxed, he looked like he would rather be anywhere than inside that carriage. His gaze was the most intense she had ever seen, but she was surprised at how long she managed to hold it before she forced herself to look up at Mike.</p><p>	“You’ll find out soon enough,” Mike sighed before motioning with his head towards the headquarters. “Go head on back. We’ll explain in a few minutes. You should get Hange to check up on you, just to make sure you didn’t get hurt from that fall.” </p><p>	“I’m fine, though…”</p><p>	“Callie,” Mike said sternly, his eyes dangerously narrowing. “Go.” </p><p>	“Yes, sir!” Callie and Scarlet said in unison before they both hastily climbed onto their horses and took off towards the headquarters. </p><p>	Callie did not notice how the raven-haired man’s stormy gaze burned into her back as they disappeared over the hill once again. </p><p>--</p><p>	“Introduce yourselves!” Shadis ordered.</p><p>	The trio that had witnessed Callie’s embarrassing fall stood before the Scouts. Callie stood with Zach and Scarlet, watching the newcomers curiously. Apparently, they were just some random people that were to join them without any actual cadet training. A momentary silence washed over the crowd before the raven-haired man rolled his eyes and stepped forward.</p><p>	“The name’s Levi,” he announced half-heartedly, looking uninterested in this while debacle. A gasp of surprise emitted from the crowd of Scouts, shocked by his disdain.</p><p>	Callie winced, exchanging a glance with her two friends. Just where did these people come from?</p><p>	“Levi… the first thing you’ll need is some goddamn discipline,” Shadis spat with a shake of his head, a vein visible in his forehead. “Next!” he barked, looking expectantly at the red-haired girl.</p><p>	“I’m Isabel Magnolia! Nice to meetcha!” the red-headed girl introduced, a genuine smile on her face. She aired pure excitement, a stark contrast from the brooding man next to her. Callie fought back the urge to snort at the shining difference between them. Still, she felt a sense of respect for the girl. She genuinely seemed like she wanted to be in the Scouts. </p><p>	“My name is Furlan Church,” the blonde on the right added, a confident smirk on his handsome face. Of the trio, he seemed to be the cold, calculating type: the mastermind of their little group.</p><p>	“Flagon, these three will be assigned to your squad. Look after them,” Shadis informed the squad leader, who looked not at all pleased to have them in his squad. He gritted his teeth and began to protest before Shadis quickly shot him down. </p><p>	From there, the crowd disbanded. Callie, Scarlet, and Zach retreated towards the edge of the courtyard while the squad leaders were bent over in discussion, leaving the three newcomers standing aimlessly at the center of attention. Isabel seemed to be in a playful exchange with Furlan, who was simply looking at her with a tenderly amused look. It somehow made a smile crawl on Callie’s face, all the while her heart ached to see her brothers again.</p><p>	“So, they’re joining your squad,” Scarlet hummed, glancing at Zach. He simply shrugged.</p><p>	“I don’t know why Flagon seems so against it, but I guess we’ll see how things play out,” Zach supposed with indifference. “I, myself, don’t mind having some new blood around here. Maybe the higher-ups will stop watching us so much.” </p><p>	“Oi! Zach! Come over here and help me show these three around!” Flagon barked from across the courtyard. With a groan, Zach hurried over to meet his squad leader.</p><p>	“I feel kind of bad for them,” Callie murmured with a frown. Scarlet glanced at her questioningly. “It’s so obvious Flagon doesn’t want them on his squad. I feel like he’s just gonna bully them or something.” </p><p>	“You see the look on that black-haired guy’s – ah, Levi’s – face, right? He looks like he’s perfectly capable of protecting them,” Scarlet pointed out, which Callie could not help but agree with. Truly, Levi looked like a dangerous man: he would be much scarier if he were not so short. Narrowing her eyes, he looked to be just a few centimeters taller than her. Maybe the other Scouts could tease someone else about their height other than her. </p><p>	She had not noticed that he had met her gaze while she had been comparing their height. Blinking a few times, she realized that his stormy, dangerous eyes were looking her up and down with scorn. She could tell by his squared shoulders and knitted eyebrows that he was tensed, ready to reel around and fend off an attacker at any point. </p><p>	Shyly, Callie managed to flash a small smile before she turned back to Scarlet, indulging in conversation for a few moments before Mike approached them. He was twisting his neck, likely trying to work out the kinks in his bones.</p><p>	“Let’s head out to the training course,” Mike instructed them, a no-nonsense look on his face. “I’m sure you two have been slacking off while I’ve been gone. It’s time to get some work done. Hange’s and Flagon’s squads will meet us in a little while.” </p><p>	They should have known they would be put right to work when their captain returned. Internally groaning, they went to the supply room and threw on their ODM gear before following him out to the training grounds, coming to a halt on the outskirts of the woodland. Hange’s squad was already there, some of them running through the obstacle course while she and Mobilt engaged in conversation.</p><p>	At their approach, Hange perked up and waved at them, wearing a beaming smile. She practically leapt over to them, her eyes wide and alert.</p><p>	“So? Aren’t you guys excited to see how they do?” Hange asked, wringing her hands together.</p><p>	“Sure, Hange,” Mike replied calmly. He turned to face his two cadets, gesturing towards the obstacle course. “Why don’t you two do a few practice runs and get warmed up? I’m sure Flagon’s squad will be here shortly.”</p><p>	Not needing any more instruction, Callie shot a hook high into the trees and took off, Scarlet directly beside her. Callie's mind pounded with worry as she glanced over her shoulder at her captain, his form becoming smaller and smaller before he was obscured by the undergrowth of the forest.</p><p>	“If I fall a second time in front of our squad leader, I don’t know what I’m gonna do with myself,” Callie grunted, shaking her head as she tried to clear the fog from her mind. “I am not in the right mindset for this shit.” </p><p>	“Take your anger out on Zach if we do some hand-to-hand training,” Scarlet suggested, her gas tank hissing as she accelerated forward, passing Callie momentarily before she landed on a branch. Callie landed beside her, letting out a groan and leaning onto the trunk of the tree for support. </p><p>	The sound of hooks whizzing through the air echoed around them, and Callie glanced up to see one of their squad members land next to them. It was Arlo. He was just a few years older than them and had proved to work well with Callie especially. He had a knowing smirk on his face as he rested a hand on his hip, looking them up and down.</p><p>	“Looks like you two had a fun night,” he said, running his free hand through his dirty blond locks. His green eyes focused primarily on Callie, making her shift her weight uncomfortably.</p><p>	“No shit,” Scarlet muttered. “I feel like my body is made of jelly.” </p><p>	“The newbies are about to run through the course,” Arlo carried on, ignoring the venom that dripped from Scarlet’s words. “Lucky for me, it looks like you two already got some good seats for the show.” </p><p>	Just then, she heard the familiar hiss of gas and Callie dragged her gaze to see Levi whirling past them. He flew the air with both grace and speed, making her jaw slightly gape. Had they been trained already? She watched as he flew onwards, her breath catching in her throat as one of the titan dummies appeared in his path. That was not supposed to happen. He seemed to falter for a moment, but he quickly recovered, twisting high into the air, and slicing it down with ease. His blades were held backwards, making her raise a brow. How peculiar. </p><p>	“Show off,” Arlo snapped under his breath, echoing Scarlet’s words from their ride earlier. Callie tilted her head and glanced at their squad member from the corner of her eye. His eyes were narrowed, glittering with obvious contempt. She wondered why he seemed to hostile towards the new Scouts. Especially since they seemed skilled so far. Arlo always slightly unnerved Callie; he seemed to yearn for power, and anybody who rivalled his skill was a threat. He was a good comrade, but she was unsure of how far he would go to prove himself. Not to mention, the way his green eyes always lingered on her made her uncomfortable. It was like he was always watching. </p><p>	Isabel and Furlan soon followed, exceeding in the course just like Levi. Once they were finished, Callie, Scarlet, and Arlo flew back to where the squad leaders were gathered, along with the other members of said squads. Pink tinged Hange’s cheeks. She was excitedly chattering to Mobilt about how different methods of titan-killing led to a better understanding of the beasts while he simply stared at her with wide eyes, taken aback by her overwhelming demeanor.</p><p>	Mike came to stand at Callie’s side, his arms crossed as his watchful eyes dug into the newcomers – Levi, especially. </p><p>	“They’re good,” Callie commented, looking at her squad leader for confirmation. He simply nodded in agreement, offering no other response, earning a sigh from her. Their captain was not the most talkative one out there. </p><p>	At that moment, Flagon beckoned Mike and Hange to him. They talked things over for a moment before turning back to their squad members. </p><p>	“Horseback training,” Flagon announced with his characteristic scowl. “Go saddle up and meet us back here.” He turned towards Callie and Scarlet, his frown twisting into a malicious smirk. “Callie. Mike says you’re skilled with the horses, so he wants you to help our newbies pick their own.” </p><p>	It was not a challenge to conceal her surprise. Callie simply nodded and cast her glance over to them. Isabel was giving her a beaming smile, Furlan giving her an unreadable look. Levi simply glared at her with his signature frown. </p><p>	Zach appeared at her side and gave her a comforting pat on the back. </p><p>	“Isabel and Furlan are pretty nice. Levi will probably call you a bitch or something, so just ignore him,” Zach murmured, looking down at her with a small smile. “Let me know if you need me to beat him up.” </p><p>	Feeling gratitude towards her friend, she gave him a gentle nudge with her elbow. “Thanks for looking out for me, but you know I’m capable of protecting myself.” </p><p>	At this, he let out a ringing laugh. “You bet I do.” </p><p>	“See you in the field,” Scarlet said, leaving along with the other Scouts towards the stables. Callie stared longingly after them for a few moments before letting out a quiet sigh, steadying herself before striding over to the trio.</p><p>	“So, uh… I’m Callie,” she managed to introduce, absent-mindedly running a hand through her tangled curls. “I’m from Shiganshina. I joined the Scouts not that long ago, so trust me, I know what it’s like to have everybody stare at you weirdly.” </p><p>	“That makes me feel a little better,” Isabel admitted with a shy smile. Callie could feel Levi’s glare digging into her, but she ignored him. What was his problem?</p><p>	“Follow me,” Callie said, forcing a smile. “I’ll show you to the pasture with the unclaimed horses.”</p><p>	With that, she led them away from the forest and towards the two pastures. One had already claimed horses, while the other had horses yet to be chosen. There were not many to choose from, but a decent enough selection existed that Callie believed they would be able to find their own steeds. </p><p>	They entered the smaller of the two and Callie strode over to the fence. The two pastures were directly next to each other, only separated by a single fence. With a high-pitched whistle, Callie called Cinder to her. She could see him grazing by himself, as always. At her whistle, his head darted upwards, and with a delighted whinny he trotted over to her. He leaned his snout over the fence, eager to be pet. Callie glanced back at the trio, a smile on her face.</p><p>	“This is Cinder, my horse,” Callie introduced, beckoning them closer. Isabel was the first to approach, a wide grin on her face. “You can pet him. Just let him sniff your hand, first.” </p><p>	Warily, Isabel reached her hand out and let Cinder take in her scent. After a few moments of calculating, the gray horse seemed to accept her. He pushed his snout into her hand, happy to have more pets. </p><p>	“He’s pretty,” Isabel commented, a tender look on her face. </p><p>	“Have you met a horse before? He seems pretty comfortable with you,” Callie said, trying not to feel a twinge of hurt. It had taken a bit of convincing for Cinder to accept her, even after their first encounter. He had tossed her off his back the first few times she had tried to ride him. Mike had chided her for choosing the most troublesome horse, but she liked the challenge. Besides, it ended well. She and Cinder were as close as they could be.</p><p>	“We’re from the Underground,” Furlan interjected, his arms unfolding as he came to reach his own hand towards Cinder. “There’s not any horses there.” Cinder accepted him as well, grateful for more hands stroking his snout. </p><p>	“Ah,” Callie simply said, not too attached to their conversation. Furlan fixed her with a perplexed look – perhaps they were not used to their birthplace being a miniscule detail. At his look, she simply shrugged. She was never one to judge where people came from. Having a single mother and always absent brothers would do that, despite the fact they had the privileges of living on the surface.</p><p>	“That’s all you have to say?” Levi asked, his voice making her pause momentarily. </p><p>	“What do you want me to say?” Callie countered as she started making her way towards the center of the pasture. She was more focused on examining the horses, trying to gauge which ones would be the appropriate choices for each of them. </p><p>	“Levi’s just used to people being suspicious of us,” Isabel interrupted with a light-hearted laugh. “The Underground isn’t the most… ideal place, so it's no surprise that some of the Scouts are a little wary of us." </p><p>	“They think that just because you come from there?” Callie asked, more to herself than to them. Casting a glance over her shoulder at them, she noticed the intensity of Levi’s glare had lessened. Just a little. With a sigh, she returned her gaze towards a particular horse. It was jet-black with a streak of white upon its snout. It was by itself, away from the other horses just like Cinder had been. Snickering to herself, she pointed towards it and looked back at Levi.</p><p>	“You should choose that one,” Callie suggested, sarcasm dripping from her voice. “It’s brooding, just like you.” </p><p>	At this, he bristled, but Furlan and Isabel both exploded into laughter. They were not used to someone daring to speak to Levi so nonchalantly. It seemed he did not appreciate their humor, for he clicked his tongue and folded his arms.</p><p>	Wisely choosing to ignore her comment, he strode over to the black mare. She lifted her head at his approach, and let out a snort of disdain, retreating a few steps. He dared to edge closer, which only seemed to agitate her more. Letting out a tsk of annoyance, he muttered some orders to her and continued to go closer. </p><p>	Rolling her eyes, Callie sighed and went to his side, putting a hand on his shoulder to halt his movements. He instantly tensed under her touch, whipping his head around to fix her with a dangerous look. She removed her hand, holding both of them up in surrender.</p><p>	“Relax, weirdo,” Callie snapped, gesturing towards the mare. “You can’t just march up to a horse and demand it obey your every order. You must approach her calmly and slowly. Try calming her down with your voice; that helps a lot. Be patient with her."</p><p>	If she were not hungover, she would probably be squirming underneath his heavy gaze, but she had no cares in that moment. She just wanted to go to sleep. He seemed to mull her words over for a few moments before sighing, turning back towards the mare and holding out a tentative hand. Callie retreated, returning to Isabel and Furlan and watching him with a lopsided smirk. To her surprise, Levi’s friends were watching her, not him.</p><p>	“What?” Callie asked when they made no move to speak. Isabel and Furlan exchanged a glance. Finally, Furlan met her eyes with a warm smile. </p><p>	“I’ve never seen someone talk to Levi like that,” Furlan admitted with a ringing laugh. “It’s nice that he doesn’t put you off. Most are scared of him or take him too seriously.” </p><p>	“He’s only a bit taller than me,” Callie reflected, watching the raven-haired man with a slight sense of wonder. He was much more cautious, now, slowly edging closer to the mare when she made no move to run. A swell of pride filled her chest. It seemed he had actually listened to her instructions. “He has a scary-looking glare, but that isn’t enough to make me scared.” A titan’s face flashed in her head, and she shook it to clear it away. Those beasts scared her more than any human could possibly frighten her.</p><p>	Isabel and Furlan clapped when they realized Levi had successfully managed to pet the ebony mare. He almost looked sheepish; his head dipped so his bangs hung slightly. Callie could not help but smile when Isabel and Furlan ran over to join the raven-haired man by the horse. They reminded her of her own friends.</p><p>	Humming, Callie strode over to Cinder, who was still standing idly by the fence. He pushed his snout in the crook of her arm, earning a giggle from her. She patted him, soothed by his warmth. For a moment, she felt as if they were alone, the only two in the pasture. It was a silly thought, maybe, but Callie truly loved Cinder. He just seemed to understand her worries and stresses and hugging him made them go away for a little bit. </p><p>	Wishing for the day to end, she pressed her head against Cinder's neck, letting out a sigh as she willed her headache to go away.</p><p>--</p><p>	The rest of the afternoon and evening managed to progress even slower than Callie could have imagined. She spent most of it just standing idly with Scarlet and Zach as the squad leaders assessed Levi, Isabel, and Furlan. Callie had to use all her self-control to not scream with joy when they disbanded for the evening. </p><p>	At that moment, she was tending to Cinder in his stall, thoroughly brushing him while he bobbed his head. She could here crickets buzzing outside, the only sound other than the brush bristles combing through his hair and her quiet humming.  Soon, footsteps approached, but Callie did not bother to look up, instead focusing on giving her loyal steed some food and fresh water. While he busied himself eating, Callie picked a pitchfork off the wall and began steadily combing some of his dirty straw out of the stall. </p><p>	“Oi,” a familiar voice called behind her. She tossed a lazy glance over her shoulder at him. Levi stared harshly back at her before scanning the stall. “You actually manage to keep his stall clean.” He seemed impressed, which irked her.</p><p>	Taking it as a sort of compliment, Callie halted her movements and leaned against the pitchfork as she asked, “Come here for some guidance?” </p><p>	“Tch, don’t get a big head,” Levi muttered, folding his arms. He eyed the pitchfork in her hand. “I just use that to get all of the nasty shit out?” </p><p>	“Yes, you do,” Callie sighed, figuring this conversation would go nowhere, so she decided to get back to work. As she went in and out of the stall, Levi would step out of her way and look at the building pile of browned straw with disgust. </p><p>	The fact that he did not try to carry on the conversation did not bother her. She was far too exhausted to bother with idle chatter with the ever-aggressive Levi; it would take too much effort. Perhaps when she did not have a pounding headache or an unsettled stomach, she would offer more interesting conversation. But, for now, all she wanted was to finish taking care of Cinder so she could retire to her room.</p><p>	“We saw you fall earlier,” Levi said blandly. She shot him a weary look. </p><p>	“I’m aware,” she replied with a shrug of her shoulders. “It happens. I shouldn’t have stood when we were going down a steep hill.” </p><p>	“How stupid,” Levi scoffed, causing her to bristle. She whipped around to face him, hardly containing her irritation.</p><p>	“I wouldn’t treat me so horribly if I were you,” Callie hissed, squaring her shoulders. “It seems not a lot of people are too fond of your being here, nor your friends. I, for one, do not care where the hell you all came from. I’m just happy to have more Scouts with us.” She scowled, putting the pitchfork back on the wall and haphazardly patting Cinder before locking his stall and scooping his waste into a bag as she continued, “I wouldn’t be so mean to one of the only people to be nice to you so far.”</p><p>	“All you did was help us choose our horses,” Levi pointed out, his voice cold and icy. It only angered her more, even though she knew he was right. She turned, edging closer to him so their faces were only a few mere inches apart. His eyes widened slightly, perhaps shocked by their sudden proximity. Good.</p><p>	“And I helped you,” Callie answered simply, fixing him with the harshest glare she could manage. “I could have just sat back and watched you struggle or get kicked by that mare. But I helped you. I’m not asking for words of thanks, but you could definitely be nicer towards me.” </p><p>	His jaw clenched, she noticed, but he did not speak. With a heavy sigh, she turned and left the stable, her footsteps echoing in the building. A few moments later, she could hear Levi’s, following her.</p><p>	“You weren’t at dinner,” Levi said quietly, eyeing her. “Why? I thought it was required for all of us to be there.”</p><p>	“It is,” Callie replied, tossing Cinder’s waste into a growing pile outside the stable. She wiped her hands on her slacks before turning back to Levi, resting a hand on her hip. “They aren’t super strict about it during the winter, though, since we don’t really go on expeditions.” Her eyes narrowed as she looked him up and down. His Scout uniform was discarded; all he wore now was a plain black shirt and pants. His question bewildered her, a tad. It was not his business as to why she skipped dinner. Besides, she really did not want to admit the fact it was because if she ate something, she feared she would not be able to keep it down. </p><p>	He slowly nodded, his expression blank. A shiver passed through her as a cold breeze brushed against her face. </p><p>	“Well, I’m off,” Callie sighed, retreating towards the barracks as he remained beside the door to the stables, watching her with his stormy eyes. “Sleep well, or whatever.” </p><p>	Callie’s anger subsided the second she entered her room and flopped onto her bed, burying her face in her pillow. Scarlet was seated on her own bed, flipping through a book and looking up at her with tired eyes.</p><p>	“Long day, huh,” Scarlet murmured, finishing her page before closing her book and setting it on the nightstand. Callie simply let out a groan, which was muffled by her pillow. “How were the new guys?”</p><p>	Sitting up, Callie mindlessly fiddled with the strand on lavender on her side of the nightstand. “Isabel and Furlan seem nice enough.” She shook her head, feeling her eyebrows furrow when she thought of Levi. “Levi’s a dick, though I’m not sure if he’s trying to be or not.”</p><p>	Starlight seeped in through the open window. It was a pretty night.</p><p>	“Well, it was just their first day,” Scarlet hummed, nestling herself in her covers. “We don’t know about what they’ve been through before they got here, so maybe he’s just wary of us. I’m sure he’ll come around, and that Isabel and Furlan will get used to things here, too.” A surge of gratitude filled Callie’s chest – Scarlet always knew what to say.</p><p>	“You’re right,” Callie agreed softly, going under her covers, and tucking the blanket under her chin.</p><p>	After bidding her roommate goodnight, Callie turned and faced the wall, blinking slowly. Maybe Levi didn’t mean to be so rude; like Scarlet said, he could have had a hard life before joining the Scouts. Perhaps he’s not used to the camaraderie. Callie let out a quaking yawn before she slowly drifted into a restless slumber, as difficult as it was with her aching head, with her thoughts settling on the newest Scouts.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I promised longer chapters were coming and here one is!<br/>also, a disclaimer: I will be following canon as best as I can, but for some details I'm simply making them up since I can't find them anywhere. Also, at this point in the story, Callie is 19 years old and I'm placing Levi at 25 years old (:<br/>also my apologies I am not an equestrian so sorry if anything is inaccurate in regards to the horse stuff!<br/>hope you enjoyed!! &lt;3 stay safe</p>
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